Across the Universe: Only Be One
by notdonewithyou
Summary: Captain Swan AU: The Charmings and Killian think that Gold is gone for good, but he's got a weapon and he'll use it to enact his revenge on them, even if it means ripping the universes apart. Sequel to Across the Universe. Read it first! Accompanying graphics on Tumblr.
1. Prologue

Killian stared at the well, still mesmerized, shocked and hurt by what had happened. The green light had engulfed Emma, and suddenly Emma and the light were both gone. He had poured all of his thanks to her for the last few months into that kiss. He knew what she would be giving up by staying with them, so he thanked her for staying for as long as she did. He hoped she found happiness where she came from.

Now that the other Emma was gone, he was sure that his Emma would be sent through soon. The more he thought about it, the more he knew in his heart that there had been something different about her, besides being made to sleep on the couch by her. She was so closed off. In the beginning, she wouldn't laugh at things that she normally found funny. The light wasn't in her eyes anymore. But at her very core, she was still Emma, and that was enough to make him overlook it before what happened at the well.

Now, Killian stood by the well, waiting. It had been five months since he'd seen his Emma. It had been five long months since he'd held her in his arms. Five months since the love of his life had been in his presence, and now all he had to do was wait. He was sure Emma would pull through and send his Emma back to him. He was sure his Emma had been on the other side, trying to find her way back to him. He walked up to the rim of the well and looked down in to the waters below. "I'll wait for you, my love." And so he waited.

And he waited. And he waited. He eventually stopped standing, slumping against the side of the well as the hours passed. But he waited. And waited. The sun was below the horizon by that point, but he continued to wait. He would wait as long as it took.

But then his heart clenched in his chest. It was similar to the feeling he'd brushed off the morning that Emma had started acting weird, but now, with everything he knew, he knew something was wrong. It felt like he'd been punched in the stomach and all of the air was sucked from his lungs. Then it faded.

He knew then, but he didn't want to know. He didn't want to have to get up from that spot knowing he'd never see his wife again. But that's what he knew. It all hit him at once, and he couldn't breathe again. It physically hurt to even think about her. Tears streamed down his face has he pulled his knees to his chest, sobbing. He knew he had to get it all out now. He was going to have to put on a brave face soon. He couldn't break down like this, not in front of them.

The walk to their home seemed like it took hours. Every bump in the road seemed like a mountain to climb, every dip like a valley though a desert. His mind and body were on autopilot, steering him back to his house. All too soon he was at the door. His thoughts had left him, but he couldn't just stay out on the doorstep forever. He couldn't abandon them.

He reached out and opened the door slowly. He peaked around the living room, before hearing the voices from upstairs. Killian knew there was no point in putting it off. They deserved to know that there was no chance that they'd see their mother again. His legs felt as heavy as lead as we placed each foot on the step in front of him, walking up to Serena's room. He'd gotten home after dark, so he knew that Henry would be reading her a bedtime story. His heart felt heavy as he the voices became clearer from the top of the stairs.

"And then… Captain Hook made her walk the plank!"

"No! But the crocodile was down there! Was Wendy okay?"

"Of course! Hook didn't see Peter swoop down and save her. Peter wasn't about to let anything happen to Wendy. Not while he was still breathing."

"Just like Mommy and Daddy!"

Killian's heart felt like it was about to pound out of his chest, and he wanted to cry again. He'd let his children down. He'd let his wife down. His children were going to have to finish growing up without their mother. He took as many as it took to calm himself as best he could. There was going to be no good way to do this. He walked up to the door of Serena's room and knocked quietly on the door frame.

"Daddy! You're back!" Serena yelled, sitting up happily. Her smile lit up the whole room, and it pained Killian to the core that he was about to take that away. When he only offered a small smile, both Henry and Serena's faces dropped. Serena looked around confused. "Is Mommy downstairs?"

Killian let out a heavy sigh before sitting on the bed, his shaky breath betraying his hard exterior. He took them both by the hand and found a spot on the bed to stare at, unable to meet their eyes. "Your mother's not coming home."

Killian did his best to explain the situation to the two of them, keeping it in the simplest terms for Serena's sake. He might explain it more to Henry later, but for now, it was all he could get out. Serena let go of his hand, before crawling onto his lap and breaking down in tears. Henry was leaning forward, his face buried in his hands, tears slipping through the spaces between his fingers. Killian stroked her hair as tears fell, mingling with the strands. He didn't know where he would take them from that point, but he knew that he had to be strong. They'd just lost their mother. They didn't need to go without a father, too.


	2. Part 1

It had been nine long months since he and his apprentice had been sucked into the portal that Emma had created. He was lucky that the portal had pulled most of the shop with them, only destroying a few of his possessions, most of them unimportant. Being sent back to the Enchanted Forest had caused his powers to return to full strength, and he knew when it was time to go back to Storybrooke, it would diminish a bit again, so the nine months had been spent preparing what magic be taken and what course of action they would take against the Charmings and the pirate.

It sickened him to the core that Emma could love that piece of filth they called a man. Upon leaving Neverland the first time, he'd done nothing worthy of being loved by anyone in Gold's eyes. If there was anyone who didn't deserve a happy ending, it was the pirate. He knew separating Hook from Emma would be the best way to torture him, to know that she'd chosen a better version of him instead. But then she'd gone and returned to her life in their universe.

What he never expected was getting the other Emma when he'd sent her away. He assumed she'd be wiped from existence, but then there she was, crumpled on the floor of his shop as soon as the spell was cast. At first he thought he'd killed Emma—and he wish he had—but soon found it to be another Emma altogether. Most of her memory had been obliterated, and that opened up an opportunity for him—a backup plan in case Emma decided to return to that wretched scoundrel. And she had. But he knew he hadn't lost. He had his weapon ready to attack, and then they'd been sucked into the portal.

It proved to work to his advantage. It brought a chance to bring out the magic that he knew was in her. He'd already shown Emma the ropes and knew of the abilities she would have no matter what universe she came from. Her parents were still True Loves. She would still be the product of True Love. She would still be magic. It was just a matter of getting it out of her after growing up for so long in a land without it.

That's how the first few months had been used—getting this Emma used to magic and building up her power. That's what Gold loved about this Emma. She was almost immediately open to the magic that had welled up inside her for her entire life, waiting to be tapped into and used. She had picked it up rather quickly as well. Having been lying in waiting for so long, the energy behind it was massive, and now that they were in the Enchanted Forest, it was even stronger. She'd grown so much since they'd arrived through the portal, and that was what brought them to this day—the day they'd return to Storybrooke to finish what Gold had started.

Emma placed the last few bottles of potions in one of the satchels Gold had handed her. "When we return, are we going to lay low before we strike? Or do I get to have some fun?" she asked, smirking.

Gold limped over to her, securing the satchel tightly on her shoulders so it could survive the trip back. "I don't think that will be possible. I'm sure our return will be quite…noisy." Once he was satisfied that the satchel wouldn't go anywhere, he looked at her proudly. "You on the other hand, we may try to keep hidden for a bit. Don't want to show our hand do early, do we, dearie?"

"But why not strike fear in their hearts as soon as possible?" She wanted nothing more than to see them tremble in her presence, to smell their fear on the air. From what Gold had told her, she knew she was more powerful than her counterpart and craved to make sure they knew it.

"You're as eager to destroy as you were eager to learn to do it, but do not let it go to your head." He knew they had everything they needed to make the trip now, so he directed her toward the opening of the castle. "I may have trained you, dearie, but you are _not_ me. But you can destroy them. It will be such fine justice. Destroyed by someone they'll care about, no matter what you do."

Emma gave him another evil smirk. "I can't wait to make them squirm."

They approached the site that they'd been preparing for a few months. Gold knew that if the other Emma could open a portal with her power, so could this Emma. They'd found a place with high magical content, and he was sure combining their powers, just in case hers didn't work on its own.

They stepped up to the site, one of them on either side of it. Gold signaled her to begin concentrating. Emma let the anger rise within her, as Gold had taught her, and so did he. He thought of how he could kill the pirate in slow, torturing ways, making sure he stayed alive as long as possible to see his life crumble. Though, his main goal no longer involved killing the pirate in revenge. Emma was still the key making him suffer, and he would use that to his full advantage.

The whirring sound of the portal filled the air, and the green light swirled in front of them. They exchanged an evil smile across the portal, before taking a step and falling through. The fall wasn't long before they were both face down in dirt. Emma sat up quickly, checking the satchel to make sure nothing had broken. She let out a heavy sigh upon discovering that everything had made it in her pack. She pulled herself from the ground and walked over to Gold, pulling him to his feet as well.

Emma took a long look at the forest surrounding them. "Have we made it? Is this it?"

Gold closed his eyes, letting the feel of the realm wash over him before letting his eyes go to the well behind him. He let a small smile creep up his face at the sight of the wilting flowers on it, before motioning her to begin walking with him. They made their way through the forest, not taking long to reach the road. The sign there confirmed that their trip had been successful. His eyes fell back to Emma. "We made it, dearie. Welcome to Storybrooke."


	3. Part 2

"Guys, this is so much fun!" came Henry's voice from the crow's nest above the deck. He'd climbed up there as soon as they'd come aboard for their day out on the Jolly Roger. It was where he always went. Killian had told him the first day they were on the boat together that the lookout was one of the most important positions on the ship. They were the ones that spotted land, and kept the ship from crashing into things out in the ocean. Henry had been eager to accept the responsibility of keeping the Jolly Roger safe at sea.

Emma hadn't seen him this happy in a long time. During her time of trying to get over what happened with the family from the other Storybrooke, she'd wrestled with so many things, and they'd all been patient with her, especially Henry. She'd felt like such a horrible mother for even entertaining the idea of staying with that family. Henry had been there to help get her through it. "The hero always has doubts," he'd say to her, "but they always make the right choice. I always knew you'd come back to us." In the back of her mind, she'd always known she'd pick them if it came down to it. They may not have been the family she'd always dreamed of, but they were the perfect family for her. David, Snow, and Henry had all taken up permanent residence in her life, and she wasn't going to take that family for granted. And now, that family extended to Killian.

He'd been there for her since Neal had disappeared again. The stress of being a son again and being a father for the first time had crumbled his resolve, and he'd bolted for New York once again with the promise that he would still be a part of Henry's life. He'd kept true to it, taking Henry every other weekend, but he'd already broken Henry's trust by leaving town. Henry wanted to get to know his father, but the strain was there and it made things difficult. It didn't help Neal that Killian was more of a presence in Henry's life than he was. Killian had taken the boy under his wing and did his best not to be too bad of an influence on him.

Emma really couldn't have been happier with the situation. Killian may have been a pirate, but caring for her and her son meant so much more to her. Killian still had good character and morals for a pirate, always going on about his Code and being a gentleman. Once he'd strayed away from his path to revenge, she'd been more than happy to let Killian into Henry's life. That was a few months before she'd been sucked away to another universe, and she was happy to see that they'd bonded upon her return. She looked over at the two from the bow of the ship, unable to hide the smile.

"Shoot!" Henry leaned over the side of the crow's nest. "Killian!"

Killian looked up from the helm. "Lad, you're not supposed to lean over the side of that."

"I know. I just left the spyglass down there."

Killian shot his eyebrow up at the boy. "And what? You want me to bring it up to you?"

Henry put on his best innocent face. Emma had seen it far too many times when he was trying to get something. "Please? I clean the deck for a whole week!"

Killian signed, leaving the wheel behind him. He descended the small stairs, spotting the spyglass on a barrel below the mast. He scooped it up, tucking it in his vest, before making the climb up the ropes to the crow's nest. Once at the top, he put his hook on the edge wood, pulled the spyglass from his vest, and handed it over to the boy. "You know that climb is bloody difficult with one hand, lad."

"You've had over 300 years of practice, Killian. I think it's a skill you're probably pretty good at," Henry said, smirking at him, taking the spyglass from Killian's hand.

"Aye, you'd think so, wouldn't you?" He started to back down the ropes, before coming back up. "Stay safe up here, lad. Let me know should something endanger us."

Henry gave him a mock salute. "Aye aye, Captain!"

Killian ruffled his hair. "There's a good lad," before making quick work of the ropes and finding his feet on the deck.

Emma had turned away from the boys to let them have their moment of fun, staring out at the beautiful, clear horizon. Not a cloud in the sky gave the sun time to warm the air just enough to make for perfect sailing weather. A smile graced her lips. She loved coming out to the water with the two of them. It helped all of her troubles melt away. Her smile grew even wider when she saw a hand and a hook placed on either side of her and felt an extra warmth ghosting over her back.

"Penny for your thoughts, love?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders, leaning back into him. "Just thinking about how much you two make me happy." She felt his arms wrap around her, and she turned in his embrace, draping her arms over his shoulders. "I couldn't have made it through the past few months without you."

"Well I'm very happy to help, love," Killian said, placing a long kiss on her lips

"You're kissing my mom!" Henry called down from the crow's nest.

He sighed and pulled away. "Aye, lad! That I am," Killian said, smiling down at Emma.

"Can you guys stop for two seconds? I know you're in love and all, but this is a family outing!"

"Did you hear that, love? The boy wants us to stop showing affection for each other." A smirk appeared on his face, one that was mirrored on Emma's.

"He can deal with it," she said, leaning in, closing her eyes and the distance between their lips.

"Mom!"

She smirked against Killian's lips, eyes still closed. "We get it, Henry!"

"No! Mom, look!"

She opened her eyes, and the sun was no longer shining. Dark clouds had rolled in in a matter of seconds, and the rumbling coming from them was louder than she'd ever heard. "Henry, get down from there right now!" Henry was already two steps ahead of her and almost to the bottom of the ropes when the bright flash struck out in the middle of the forest. He immediately rushed over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. She held him close as the light continued to fill the sky over forest before disappearing immediately.

"What the bloody hell was that?"


	4. Part 3

Emma continued walking quickly through the trees of the forest, shoving branches aside when they got in her way. Killian followed closely behind her, not wanting any surprises to jump out and attack her. His hand remained at the ready to grab his sword if need be, which was now hanging from his waist. The two had dropped Henry off with David and Snow, much to his very verbal protest, to investigate what had happened.

She should've known things couldn't go perfectly forever. It had been quiet for far too long, but she had no idea what could've caused that large flash. In the back of her mind, the biggest thing she hoped for was that no one outside of town saw it, though it didn't seem like anyone would've seen it. Even with the border spell now gone, they were pretty far out from civilization, giving the town the privacy it wanted and needed.

"Seen anything yet, love?"

"No. I think it struck farther in."

Killian looked around at their surroundings. "You realize that this is the path to the-"

Emma nodded. "The well, I know…" _That's what I'm afraid of. _She hadn't been out to it in months, not since she'd finally let herself have some closure over the whole universe jumping ordeal. She tried not to let her mind wander back to that place of hating what she'd done. She hated to even think it, but even if she'd known the other Emma was gone, she wouldn't have stayed. She couldn't have. She belonged with the people here. They were her home. It had taken her a long time to get to that point, and she wasn't going back there.

Killian ran into her back when she stopped in her tracks. They were standing in the opening where the well was. Emma cursed under her breath as she approached the charred and still smoking structure. It was still mostly intact, a few pieces scattered on the ground and a large crack down the side, but the burn from the flash had been the worst of the damage.

"Is it too optimistic to hope that this was a freak of nature thing?" Emma asked, glancing over to Killian.

"Unfortunately, yes. That storm came in too fast to be any sort of natural thing." He traced the edge of the well, before wiping his hand on his vest.

Emma looked around nervously, looking for any clues as to what might've happened. She looked down the well to see that the waters below were boiling. Killian was right. This was no freak accident. Emma pulled her gun from its holster and began sweeping the perimeter around the area where the well was, Killian doing the same with his sword. Emma knew they weren't fully prepared if they were to find something, but whatever had happened there was bad and couldn't be allowed to make it to town.

Emma sighed once she realized nothing was out there and placed her gun back on her hip. If they hadn't found at that point, they weren't going to. "We should get back to the apartment. Maybe Mom and Dad will have some ideas about what might've happened."

Killian nodded before sheathing his sword and taking her hand. He led her back down the path they took, eyeing their surroundings more cautiously on the way back. Something about the well had made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up straight with anxiousness and a sense of wrong. He didn't know what it was, but something was there and it didn't belong in Storybrooke. His gut had churned at the sight of the burnt well, and it wasn't sitting well now. He could feel something coming, like an oncoming storm on the calm sea; he could sense it with every fiber of his being.

They made it back to the apartment and ascended the stairs to Emma's door, pushing it open. As soon as Henry heard the door open, he launched himself at them, wrapping them both in a hug. He hadn't wanted them to go at all, but he knew they had to figure out what had happened. "I'm glad you guys are back," he said, his words muffled in Emma's shoulder.

"What happened?" Snow asked. "What was the flash?"

Emma stood up, taking her coat off as she did. "Whatever it was, it struck the well. It's pretty burnt and a bit worse for wear. Fingers crossed it was just a freak lightning strike," she said, still trying to convince herself that it was nothing.

"We all know that's not true," Henry said. "Everything strange that happens here happens because bad things are coming."

Emma kneeled down in front of him. "Henry, don't worry. Whatever it is that might've happened, we'll be fine. We always are."

Killian put a hand on Henry's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Your mother's right, lad. You've got three tough-as-nails royals and the best pirate captain of all the realms to protect you and everyone else. There's no need to worry."

David let a small smile slip onto his face. "Don't you remember who taught you how to sword fight and shoot a bow? Everything will be fine, Henry."

Emma was thankful for her father's and Killian's words of encouragement. It was always nice to have some backup. "See? We've got this. Now," she said, standing, "why don't you go change, and we'll spend the rest of the day in our pajamas watching movies and eating junk food?"

Henry sighed and nodded before making his way up the stairs to his room. Emma let out a sigh once he was out of sight. She didn't want to seem jittery or panicky in his presence. If she panicked, he'd panic. She felt an arm pull her into a hug, and she leaned her head onto Snow's shoulder.

"It's going to be fine, Emma," Snow said, rubbing her daughter's arm. "Whatever it was, we'll all deal with it."

Emma nodded and closed her eyes. "I just wish I knew what the hell could've done that."

The door burst open with a loud bang, making everyone's heads snap in the direction of the noise. The family stood in utter shock for a minute before completely hardening their stances. Killian pulled his sword from its sheath, pointing it at the intruder. Standing in the doorway, was Mr. Gold.

"Miss me, dearies?" he asked, smirking, leaning on his cane. "Not surprised to see me, are you?"

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked, her voice loud. "We thought you-"

"Thought I was dead? No. You didn't kill me. But you're going to wish you had."

Killian's hand gripped his sword tighter, stepping in front of her a bit. "If you even think about laying a finger on her, you'll regret it. I can promise you that."

Gold let out a laugh. "What are you gonna do? Are you going to skin me like you said would for the past 300 years? I don't think so." Gold flicked his wrist once and Killian's sword went flying, sticking into the wall. He flicked it again, sending Killian into one of the support beams, falling to the ground unmoving. Emma let out a shriek of surprise, starting to run to Killian before Gold stopped her from moving. "Oh, I don't think so. We're still talking."

Emma directed her attention back to Gold. "How did you even get back?"

"With the help of a friend I recently procured." He stepped to the side to allow the person he'd talked about to step in.

"No," Emma murmured under her breath. "Emma?"

The woman in the doorway laughed, an evil undertone to it. "Well, I'd hope you'd know your own name," the other Emma said.

Emma didn't even acknowledge her words before glaring at Gold. "This is her, isn't it? You bastard! You let me think the price was her life. What did you do to her?"

"He made me stronger—stronger than you could ever be." A smirk appeared on her lips. "Would you like to see?" She didn't wait for an answer before she sent Emma tumbling through the air. The other Emma moved her hand again, sending her in the opposite direction, landing next to Killian, who groaned and finally lifted his head.

"Mom!" Henry yelled, appearing at the top of the stairs.

Emma groaned as well before pulling herself up slowly with Killian's help. "Kid, stay up there!"

Gold took another step into the apartment. "As I said, we're not done talking. I just wanted you to know that we could kill you at any time. Your life is in our hands. Really," he said, laughing, "you're already dead. We could kill you in a week, or we could kill you right now. But no. I'm going to make this as slow and as painful a process as I can." He motioned for the other Emma that it was time to leave. "No happy ending for the Charming family." He backed up and started to close the door. "Sleep well." The door closed behind him, and the two were gone.


	5. Part 4

Emma winced as Killian brushed the antiseptic cloth over the cut on her eyebrow. He tried to be as gentle as he could, now having actual medical supplies to fix her up this time rather than an impromptu bandage and rum. He gave her an apologetic look before continuing his ministrations on her face. She probably would've laughed at the situation of reopening an old scar if it weren't for how it had happened.

The other family's Emma was alive and well—as well as she could be in her situation. She didn't know how Gold had managed to turn her evil and didn't want to know. All she knew was that Emma needed to get her back to normal and back to her Storybrooke with her family.

Her eyes met Killian's as he pulled away to continue assessing the damage. "You know, I never realized that we match?"

He leaned forward again, wiping at her eyebrow, an amused look on his face. "How's that, love? Aside from our affinity for leather."

Emma pulled his hand away from her face and reached up to touch the scar above his left eye. "You have a scar here, from the car accident."

He pushed her back on the counter, stepping in between her legs, going back to her eye. "The only difference between then and now is I was a much better patient."

Emma couldn't help but laugh. "Please! You were chained to the bed and freaked out over the jello."

He laughed as he finished cleaning the wound. "I thought they were trying to poison me, so they wouldn't have to deal with me anymore."

Killian ran his fingers over the swelling skin, making sure he'd cleaned it thoroughly. He didn't like seeing Emma hurt in anyway, and he knew her wounds in this situation weren't just on the skin. He'd watched as the months rolled by of her being completely torn apart by the other Emma's supposed death, and then she shows up at their door, evil and powerful. He could see it in her eyes that it opened up the jagged scars of those dark months that had healed over.

David and Snow came down the stairs from Henry's room, a worried look on Snow's face. "We finally got him to sleep," Snow said. "That really scared him."

"He has every right to be scared, but we're going to figure this out," David said, squeezing her shoulder.

Emma sighed as she looked up at the staircase. Things had been going so well for all of them. She had let herself get used to the quiet of the town. With no trouble brewing over the last few months, she'd seen no need to ready herself for anything, and that was now the problem. But she saw this as her second chance. She'd bring the other Emma back from Gold's hold on her. She would get her back to her family.

"Well there's always the fighting option," Snow suggested.

"We'd be hard pressed to be able to defend ourselves against the amount of magic those two have," David said. "She threw you two across the room like you were nothing."

"Well we do have our own magical Emma, don't we?" Killian said, nudging her. "If things get bad, you'll be able to fight them off."

Emma's head snapped back in their direction. "No! I…" After thinking the spell that had sent her to the other universe had killed the other Emma, she hadn't wanted to even think about the word magic. It had never done anything good in her life. I had ripped her from her family as a baby, almost killed Henry, ripped her from her family again, and now it was running rampant through an Emma that shouldn't know about magic. It had done way more harm than it had ever done good. "Magic comes with a price… We all know that."

Killian stepped in front of her and took her by the shoulder. "But, love, you _are_ magic. You're true love in the flesh. Your magic is good magic. You only know how to be good and how to do good. That Emma," he nodded toward the door where the evil pair had left, "is you, but she's buried. And if there is anyone who would know how to dig her out, it is _you_."

Emma let his words sink in, a tear forming in her eye. She hadn't used magic since she'd gotten back because she didn't think she could do anything with it. But she knew magic was going to be the only way to get the other Emma back. Not just any magic—not just the magic inside of her—but a magic that was as old as time itself.

Emma looked up into Killian's eyes before pecking him on the lips. "I think I've got an idea. And if we're lucky enough, it just might work." She stepped around Killian, headed to the door to get her jacket, slipping it on quickly. David, Snow and Killian all looked at her, confused by what she was doing.

"Emma, where are you going?"

She looked back at them before opening the door. "I'm going to the well."


	6. Part 5

Emma paced the room back and forth, waiting for him to return, practically walking a rut into the floor beneath her feet. She'd waited just like he asked her to do while he went to retrieve something that he said would help. Her surroundings were familiar, but she didn't know why. She also knew her powers were weaker when he wasn't around, and she didn't like that at all. It made her feel dependent and pathetic—the exact opposite of how the power she held was supposed to make her feel. She was supposed to feel in charge and strong at all times. That was what he told her the magic would be like, but now it felt dim.

All she wanted to do was feel strong. It bothered her to the core that without Gold in her presence, she could feel the magic drain away from her. What use would she be if he wasn't around? She knew that he was the stronger of the two of them. The teacher always was stronger than the student, in her experience. And she'd been happy and willing to learn what he thought she needed to know. She just needed it to stick around while he was gone.

She felt it bubble back to the surface when he walked in the door, dragging a heavy telescope behind him. She eyed it curiously as he set it up by the window. "What is that?"

"It's a gift from an old friend who owed me something." Gold gestured for her to come over to it. "It will make gathering information on their plans that much easier. Because we know they'll try to defend themselves."

Emma raised an eyebrow at him. "And you're sure we've got the upper hand?"

Gold leaned on his cane. "Dearie, you are talking to the Dark One. I am the most powerful force in all of the realms, and I trained you. I made you what you are. Trust me," he said, an evil smirk making its way to his face, "no one can go up against us. They're defenseless. All they have is Miss Swan who's not been properly trained as you have. She's nowhere near as powerful."

Emma couldn't help the smile that came. She felt like she was getting praised by a parent. "You're right. And I'll only get stronger from this point on. No point in doubting." Her eyes drifted to telescope. "Can I try it out?"

Gold stepped back, allowing her room to look into the telescope. "Go ahead. See what kind of panic we've incited."

Emma walked over and leaned forward, lining up the scope with the window to the apartment. She could see her counterpart hugging her son tightly to her chest, the boy crying just a bit. A scoff of a laugh escaped her throat as David and Snow pried him away from her and led him up the stairs. She could see blood trickling down from Emma's head as Killian led her over to the counter, lifting her up onto it surprisingly easy. She could see Emma directing Killian toward something in the general direction of the kitchen, and when he came back, he was holding a box. He handed it to Emma, and she pulled out the necessities to clean her wound before Killian began his work.

Emma didn't understand the shot of pain, anguish and longing that shot through her as she watched the two, smiling, smirking and teasing. She felt her heart clench at the sight of him taking care of her wounds, making sure not to cause her anymore pain. It didn't make sense to her at all. She couldn't fathom why she would feel a hole in her heart at the sight of the two people she'd just attacked. They began to lean in for a kiss and she looked away from the scene for a moment, hoping her weakness couldn't be seen.

Something was missing, and she could suddenly feel it, physically hurting from what had caused it. True Love was one of the greatest powers in all of the realms. It had the power to break any curse it came into contact with. It created miracles and destroyed boundaries. It brought life and conquered death. She'd been taught that from the very beginning. _Maybe that's what I…_

She immediately scoffed, returning her gaze back to the telescope as Emma rushed out of the apartment door, running in the direction of the torn down shop, taking a turn toward the path to the well. She turned the telescope back to the apartment, gazing at the confused trio, before exchanging a few words, and then Killian was following her.

"Something wrong, dearie," Gold asked from across the room.

She didn't meet his eyes. "No. They're just being all lovey with each other. I can't wait to rip them apart."

She couldn't believe she'd even entertained the idea of needing love to fill in that gap. She could see immediately from what had happened in the apartment when Gold had thrown Killian across the room that all love did was make you weak and an easy target. All she needed was power. Lots and lots of power.


	7. Part 6

Killian approached the well slowly, just as he had every time before. The flowers in his hand felt too heavy, his arm too weak. The tickets to her favorite musical that had arrived the week before were still sealed away in the envelope, and now rested in his jacket pocket. He was supposed to be taking her out for their eighteenth wedding anniversary, not visiting the place that stood as a reminder of how he'd lost her for good.

He placed the flowers on the edge of the well and sighed. "Hey, Ems. I… Uhm… Happy anniversary, love." He cleared his throat. "Some things have happened since the last time I came to chat…" He ran his hand along the edge of the well, a habit he'd developed through all his visits. "Serena got her own solo in the next recital. She's really excited about it and asked me to practice with her. I know I won't be as good of a partner as you were, but… But I'm trying…" He held back his tears as he continued. "Henry went on his first date, too. Took a few notes from his dad and took Grace sailing." He laughed a little at the memory from last week. "You couldn't have wiped the smile from his face if you'd tried."

He let the tears start to fall then. He'd tried to be strong for his family for the last few months, and he thought that time would make things better, but it only chipped away at his resolve. "I'm trying, Ems. I'm trying so hard to do this without you, and I'm scared. I was scared when I was doing this _with_ you, and now you're not here and…" He choked down his sobs. "I'm lost. I'm so lost without you…" He leaned forward onto the stone, his tears darkening the grey rock. "It was supposed to be us forever, love. You and me against it all! I didn't even get to give you a proper goodbye."

He felt his knees start to give out, and he let them sink to the ground. The hole that he felt in his heart felt like it was expanding, and he needed it to stop. "I don't know how to do this without you! I wasn't supposed to be alone yet. We were supposed to grow old together, travel the world, and watch our grandchildren take their first steps. I don't want to do any of that alone, but here I am. _And I can't fucking do this!_"

He let a scream rip through him that had been building up since Emma had left through the well. All of the pain and fear and anger pouring out into the air until there was nothing left to come out. His breathing was ragged, and his fists were clenched.

"I just need you here…"

He felt the gust of wind as he heard the voice. "Killian. Get up."

He knew the voice well, and, at first, he thought he was just imagining things. Or maybe he'd cried himself to sleep against the well, and he was dreaming of her voice. He did it so often. He refused to let himself forget that voice.

"Killian! Get up! You're not helping anyone down there."

Killian lifted his head to see Emma in the well. He knew it wasn't his Emma. Once she'd pointed it out herself, he didn't know how he didn't see it to begin with. He thought all the anger had left him with that scream, but he was wrong. He stood up quickly, coming face to face with her floating figure. "Come to check on me, have you? It's the least you could do after you left us without her!"

Emma's face dropped. "You know I didn't want anything like that, Killian. If there's anyone who deserves to be happy, it's your family." He started to reply, but she held up her hand. "I don't have a lot of time to talk. Things are happening here, and I need your help."

Killian was fuming. He couldn't believe, knowing that whatever business she'd been involved in back in her Storybrooke had led to him losing his Emma, that she had the nerve to ask for his help. He laughed spitefully at her, before turning away from her. "Why? Why would I and should I help you?"

"Because your Emma is here."

He whipped around to face her. "She's there?" He took a step forward. "She's there with you?"

Emma smiled. "She is, but-"

Killian was furious. "You left months ago, and you're just now telling me that she's there with you?! Do you know how hard it's been? When I got back to the apartment the night that you left, I had to explain to Henry and Serena that their mother wasn't coming back! They think-"

"Killian! Stop! I've got limited time! She's here _now_. When I got back, Gold insinuated that she was dead and I… I pulled his entire shop through a portal. I'm guessing he had her the entire time." Emma dropped her head. "They came back through the well, and Emma she… Gold's done something to her, and she isn't…" Emma turned around away from him.

"Just tell him, love. Quick as you can." The voice was eerily familiar to him.

Emma turned back to Killian. "Gold has taught her magic, and he's somehow convinced her to join forces with him. They attacked us, and they're going to come after my family. I need your help to keep my family safe. And I'm going to get your Emma back." Emma dropped her gaze. "It's my fault that this is happening, and I'm going to fix it."

He stood, shocked to the core. His Emma would never do that, but he couldn't help the flame of hope that ignited in his heart. "But she's alive? She's alright?"

"She's fine. I just know that I can't do this alone. I'm going to need your help."

Killian leaned forward on the well. "How am I going to help you?"

"You're coming to Storybrooke, and we're-" Her words fell away as her image faded.


	8. Part 7

"Emma! Emma!" Killian said, running to the well, swiping at the smoke that was almost completely gone. "Damn it!" he yelled, hitting the edge of the well. He turned around, leaning back against the well, running his hand over his face. He was confused as to what Emma was telling him. His Emma had magic, and he didn't know how that was possible. Even though Emma had disappeared from the well, _his_ Emma was alive, and he was going to get her back. He tried not to get too hopeful, but he couldn't fight off the smile. _My Emma is alive!_

Killian continued to mull over his thoughts, completely engrossed in the information he'd been given. He felt like he was there for only a few minutes, but by the time he looked up, the sun was just touching the top of the tree tops. He let out a deep sigh, knowing he had to get back to Henry and Serena and started to push off the well, when he felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped away from it.

He turned toward the hand and was met with a reassuring smile from Emma, who now had her feet planted firmly on the ground. He returned her smile. While he missed his wife, he'd actually missed the friendship that this Emma had given him, and now, he was grateful for the glimmer of hope she'd given him as well.

"Hello, Killian," she said, stepping forward and wrapping him in a hug. "It's been a while."

Killian was shocked by her gesture but returned it all the same. "That it has." He pulled her away from him, keeping his hands on her shoulders. "My Emma… She's safe?"

Emma's mouth twitched. "As safe as she can be with Gold. I don't know what he's done to her, but if there's one thing I've learned in the last couple of years, it's that True Love conquers all. So, I know you'll be able to help her." She sighed, a little defeated after the long day, before looking up at him. "Now, come on, we've got to leave," she said, leading him back toward the well. She dug around in her pocket, and pulled out a small, glowing tube, and chucked it into the well, causing the waters below to swirl. "Let's go."

He grabbed her hand, stopping her. "I can't leave without Henry and Serena," he yelled over the whirring of the portal.

Emma looked confused before understanding, but still worried. "It's dangerous over there, and even if we went to get them, I don't know how long this will stay open," she yelled back, gesturing toward the portal.

"We'll figure it out, and maybe they could help!" The whirring of the portal was already starting to die down. "Plus, I think you need to explain a few things before we go over there."

Emma looked down at the closing portal, and then looked back at him, nodding. "Alright. Let's go get them. I'll explain along the way."

They began walking down the trail, silent at first. Killian was still thinking things over in his head. He decided it was best to just let the questions come. "So my Emma has magic… How?"

"Well, I'm guessing she's like me, a child of True Love. Literally, she is True Love in human form, and that is the most powerful magic in existence, even in a land like this with no magic whatsoever."

Killian nodded, though not fully understanding. "But if she's from here, a place with no magic as you say, how is it she can now do magic?"

Emma shrugged. "My guess is it's what she's made of, and now she's in a place where magic can be used."

"And you're magic as well and that's how you could do the whole swirly light trick back there?"

Emma bit back a small laugh. "Yeah, it's a bit harder than it looks. I would've used a bean to make a portal, but they were all used, and there haven't been any growing back." She looked up at his confused face. "Right. You're not acquainted with magic items. I look at your face and forget you're not him."

"Right, darling. Now, do these beans create portals as well?"

She nodded. "Yes, but like I said, we haven't had any grow in a while."

Killian continued walking down the path, a confused look on his face. "How were you able to get here?"

"Same way I left. Like I said, True Love is the most powerful magic, and I'm pretty good at manipulating it. I was a bit rusty. I hadn't even thought about magic since…the day I left…" he voice trailed off, not wanting to relive the memory.

"So you took your parents' hairs?"

"Well, mine and Hook's, but it's all the same. True Love's magic works with us, too."

Killian looked over at her, curious. "And Hook… He's me in your universe."

"Yup! Guess he'll have to get used to that again until you leave."

They turned the corner at the end of the trail, walking back toward town. "Well, I hope you brought some of his spare hair for another portal thing."

"I don't think I'll need to," Emma said. "It should work with the two of us, if I'm right."

Killian tilted his head toward her. "Right about what?"

"That you're still Killian and I'm still Emma, and, as it would seem, that no matter what universe we find ourselves in, we're still True Loves. That whatever versions of us there might be, we're still the same at our very cores." They continued walking, the house she'd lived in for five months coming into sight. "I mean, it makes sense. My parents are True Loves the same way your Emma's parents are." They finally approached the door to the house, and Emma reached out her arm to stop him from turning the knob. "You said they think their mom isn't coming back. I'm sure we can make Henry understand, but how are we going to explain this to Serena?"

Killian shook his head. "I explained it as best I could to both of them, and they both seemed to understand that you were and weren't their mother."

He reached out and opened the door, and from the couch, a head of blonde hair turned toward the sound. Serena's eyes lit up for a second before her gaze traveled to Emma's sad smile. Immediately, tears began to well up in her eyes. Emma made her way over to the couch quickly, pulling Serena into a hug. "Hey, sweetie, don't cry."

Serena pushed away from her slightly. "Daddy told us you weren't Mommy. But you look like her."

Emma nodded, smiling sadly. "I do look like her, but listen. I know where she is, and your dad is going to help me get her back. And he wants you to come with us…" Emma trailed off when she heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see Henry. "Hey, kid. You're taller than the last time I saw you."

Henry stood there, gaping. "You're…back."

Emma shook her head, sadly turning her gaze away from him. "Not yet."

"Pack a small bag, you two," Killian ordered. "We're going on a trip, alright?"

Serena didn't question it, jumping off the couch and running up the stairs to her room. Henry looked between the two of them. "Where are we going?"

"We're going to go save your mom, kid," she said and watched as Henry followed quietly behind his sister. She turned to Killian once he was gone. "He doesn't seem as enthusiastic…"

"He took the news pretty hard… Harder than I did, I think. I don't think he wants to get his hopes back up. There's…no guarantee on this is there?"

Emma's gaze fell to the ground. She'd come to them so happy about this idea that she didn't even think about it not being a sure thing. True Love had always been the answer. It had never failed them before. It had broken the Dark Curse. It had gotten her home. It had brought her back here. It had to work then. It couldn't fail them now.

She took a step forward toward Killian, who was now looking at a picture of him and his wife, and placed her hand on his arm comfortingly. When he looked back to her, she gave him a warm smile. "We _will_ get her back." Emma nudged him toward the stairs. "You should pack something, too." He nodded sadly, looking away from the picture and made his way up the stairs.

Soon enough, Killian, Serena and Henry came down the stairs with a small each. Serena was still grinning ear to ear, while Henry tried not to look Emma in the eye. "Come on, you guys," she said, opening the door. "Let's go get your Emma."


	9. Part 8

Killian held Serena's hand, helping her over logs and rocks as they walked down the path toward the well in the darkness. Henry lagged behind the two of them, while Emma led the way at the front. Emma moved with purpose as she walked the well-known path, knowing that every second they stayed there was another second that Gold and the other Emma were running rampant in her Storybrooke. She was certain her only chance of saving her counterpart was with this family, and she prayed that she was right.

They came upon the well fairly quickly, a sigh of relief coming from all of them. They weren't happy about walking through the forest at night, but if it meant getting their Emma back, they'd walk through Hell for her. The family placed their bags at the edge of the well as they approached, Serena looking over into it.

"How will this take us to where you live?" she asked.

Emma walked up next to her. "Well, hopefully my theory is correct about your dad and me, otherwise I'll have to make an emergency call home," she replied, giving her a small smile. She then turned to Killian, pulling out another small bottle they'd swiped from the house before leaving. "Do you want to pluck it, or should I?"

He pulled a hair from his head as he walked over to her, placing it in the open bottle where her hair already rested inside. The two stared at the contents for a few moments until they finally glowed purple. Killian let out a sigh of relief at the familiar glow before looking at Emma. "So…how does," he said, gesturing toward the well," this work?"

"Well, we don't have a vessel, so it's going to feel a little funny." Emma took in the scared expression that crossed Serena's face. "Oh don't worry, sweetheart. It doesn't hurt. It just…tingles a bit, I guess."

Her eyes caught movement, and she saw Henry circling the well, looking at her skeptically. "So you just throw your magic jar in and what? We all fly magically to your land on rainbows and ponies, save my mom and live happily ever after?"

"Henry, don't be rude," Killian chastised.

"No, I'm not going to go to some magical place just for the slim chance that Mom will come back. It's been seven months, Dad. And now you're going to go and look for a woman who doesn't even remember you. Mom _is_ gone. That woman you're going to go to isn't her. Mom died the minute _she_ stepped foot here." Henry walked to the bags, picking his up. "I'll be at Grams and Gramps' house," he said, bumping Emma's shoulder as he passed. "Have fun on your trip."

Serena looked around, confused, her grip on Emma's hand tightening. Emma looked down, giving her a reassuring smile before turning to Killian. "You go after him. I've got Serena, and I'll be the last person he'll want to see."

Killian nodded, still gaping at what his son had said, following the path Henry had taken before catching up to him. He reached out, tugging on Henry's wrist before he turned him around. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I thought I made it abundantly clear that this is a stupid idea, and I'll stay with Grams and Gramps while you learn that lesson the hard way," Henry replied, ripping his wrist from Killian's grasp.

"Hey, I am still your father, and I won't be spoken to that way."

"Yeah, you're still my father, but how you've been since you realized Mom wasn't coming back… A majority of the week, it's me walking Serena to school and walking back with her after. I made lunches. I did the tea parties." Henry let out a huff of annoyance. "You've been so hung up on this that you haven't really been here. So, go on your little adventure, and maybe when you come back, you can realize that you need to move on and be a dad again." He closed his eyes in frustration, knowing that his words hurt, but also knowing his dad needed to hear them. Nevertheless, he reached out, taking Killian in a hug. "Just be careful, okay? I can't lose both of you."

Killian let the words sink in before slowly pulling his son in for a hug. "You won't lose both of us. You won't lose either of us. I'm bringing her back. For better or worse is what we said, and this is probably the worst it's ever been." He pulled back, running his hand through his hair. "I need you to trust me, Henry."

Henry shook his head, unable to meet his father's eyes. "I refuse to get my hopes up. So, if you come back with Mom, I'll be pleasantly surprised, but I'm not going to put myself through that and you shouldn't do that to Serena, either."

Killian let out a sigh as he backed away from Henry. "Fine, go to your grandparent's house. Tell them Serena and I went on a much needed out of town trip that you didn't desire to participate in, but don't say where exactly."

"Did you expect me to tell them that you're going to some alternate universe with a different version of my mom? I'll just say you went to Boston or something." Henry started walking back down the path before stopping. "I love you, Dad, okay?"

"I love you, too, Henry. We'll be back soon." He walked back to the clearing with the well, and Emma leaned away from it, concern all over her face. He shook his head as he stepped up beside them. "Just the three of us it would seem."

Emma nodded. "Alright then," she said, pulling out the glowing bottle and throwing it in the well. The familiar whirring filled the air as the large gusts burst around them. Her hand gripped Serena's tighter than it already was, and she took Killian's hand as well. "Only one rule… Do _not_ let go of my hand!" She pulled them forward, and they were falling.

* * *

Killian gripped the edge of the well, helping Emma and Serena pull themselves up and out. He looked at Emma as a smile bigger than he'd ever seen appeared on her face and she was running to a leather clad figure. She launched herself into the figure's arms, and Killian noticed there was no hand extending from the left on, his mouth dropping open. _She hadn't been lying. _He felt bad for interrupting the obviously happy couple, so he stood back with Serena for a moment, who was currently hiding behind him.

"Is that the welcome I'm always going to get after only a few hours' time, love?" Hook muttered against her lips.

"After those five months away, I don't like being gone at all. So yes. And you're going to deal with it," she said, smiling.

"Did I say I was complaining? It was a simple question." Hook's eyes darted to his lookalike. "I think we're being rude in front of the guest." He stepped back from her, squeezing her hand before taking a few strides toward the man, extending his good hand. "Killian Jones."

Killian let out a snort, placing his hand in Hook's, giving it a firm shake. "Same."

Hook looked to Emma as he dropped his hand. "I guess I'll have to hear the old moniker for a while then, darling?"

"Let's hope not for too long. I'd like to get my wife back as soon as possible." Killian smirked then, looking over at Emma. "So, this is the lout you left me for? I was expecting someone more charming."

"Charming's her father job, and I'd watch your next words if I were you."

"And what are you going to do? Sass me a little bit."

"Oh, I'll do more than that."

Killian let out a laugh. "I'm only kidding, mate. This universe obviously didn't give you my sense of humor."

"That's not very nice. Now, tell each other sorry."

Hook looked down at the body the small voice had come out of, his mouth opening slightly. He was staring into eyes as blue as his own, slightly hidden behind a golden mop of hair. He let out a small scoffed laugh, looking to Killian, silently asking for permission. Hook knew exactly who the child was and couldn't believe she was standing in front of him. Killian gave him a curt nod, and Hook dropped to his knee in front of her. He cleared his throat before extending his hand to her. "And who might you be, love?"

Serena looked up at her father, who nodded to her as well, and she looked back to Hook, shaking his hand with a smile. "Serena Jones. It's nice to meet you, Captain Hook!"

"Ah, so you've heard of me?" he asked, beaming with pride.

Serena nodded with a smile, continuing to hold his hand. "Only from the movie, but," she paused, giving Hook a once over, "I don't think they did it right."

Hook groaned, but still couldn't help the smile that was on his face. "Let's not talk about that awful moving picture. I'm Killian, but you can call me Hook. I think it'd make things easier."

Serena shook her head. "I think I'll call you Captain."

"How sweet," came a dark voice from behind them, causing them all to turn. Standing at the edge of the path, Mr. Gold tapped his cane against the ground, his stare menacing. "Miss Swan, I thought you might bring in…reinforcements, but this is just pitiful."

Emma stood protectively in front of the other three, the feel of her magic in her fingertips. "Where's Emma, Gold?"

"Did you really think I'd bring her with me to this happy reunion, so you could...what? Rescue her from my evil grasp? Not likely, dearie." He sent her an evil smirk. "No, I'm here to survey what other vermin I have to get rid of. And look at the treat you brought me," he said, his eyes falling on the two men behind her. "I get to destroy him twice because of you. How thoughtful of you."

"You're not touching a hair on their heads."

He leaned forward on his cane a bit, shaking his head. "I'd like to see you stop me."

Serena pushed her small form past Emma, before she was grabbed. Emma held her back to her, squirming in her arms. "We're going to get my Mommy back, and you can't stop us."

"Oh, feisty just like her parents. What a waste of youth." He took another long look at the group of four before him. "If this is all you've got against us, I'm afraid this won't be much of a fight, dearie." He let out a menacing chuckle. "We'll be seeing you soon." With that, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Emma sank down to ground level, turning Serena to face her. "Don't do that again, Serena. That man is dangerous, and there's nothing you can do against him okay?" She waited for Serena to respond, who only nodded, before she stood and looked to Hook and Killian. "Let's get back to the loft. We'll figure out what to do there. At least I can put some kind of protection spell over us there." The two men nodded, Killian picking up his daughter from Emma's grasp before walking down the path previously blocked by Gold.

Not too far away, a small rumble came from the ground as a large crack formed in the road at the town line.


	10. Part 9

Emma made her way around Gold's shop, looking at all the trinkets that hadn't been destroyed during the chaos her counterpart had caused with her magical outburst. Upon their arrival, Gold had reconstructed the shop and placed an enchantment around it, leaving it looking like the ruins it had for so many months. It kept prying eyes away from them, and the Charmings were none the wiser about where their location was in town. Emma liked it that way, always having the element of surprise, always being able to watch.

Though, when she did watch them, she got that uneasy feeling in her stomach. She always attributed it to hating them to the core, and that's why seeing them happy and loving made her sick. It also didn't help that her magic felt weak when she saw them. She only watched them when Gold wasn't around, and she hated that she felt her magic wane with his absence. It irked her to her core that he was almost always insisting that she stay put.

"_You're too valuable, dearie," he'd say._

"_If I'm so valuable, why don't you use me?"_

And every time, he would leave her behind, warning her to stay hidden until the time was right, leaving her with her seething anger and her fading magic to wait for him to return. She felt useless with the person she was supposed to feel like she belonged with. She didn't know anything before he found her, and she was grateful that he'd saved her life. That's how she remembered it. Waking up in a room she didn't know, with no memory of anything before it. He'd told her he found her in the woods, and slowly but surely, he developed her powers and told her of the life she'd had before. How the Charmings had wronged them both and how they needed to suffer, and the longer the idea sat in her mind, the more she relished in the idea. The feeling in her gut when she saw them being happy together gave her no reason to question Gold about her past with them.

She would do whatever it took to exact the revenge she knew she had to have, no matter what the cost.

She'd just stopped in front of a case holding a hand when Gold walked back into the shop, limping as he always did, and she felt her magic start to grow again, a smile forming on her face. He cast a glance toward her as she continued to move around the shop before making his way to the back, opening the safe behind the portrait. She'd seen him do it multiple times before but was never curious enough to ask what he was hiding. He always told her everything she needed to know, and if he didn't tell her, she didn't need to know it.

He closed the safe with a sigh, turning back to look at her as she approached him. "We're going to have to speed up our plans," he said, rummaging through his crate of vials.

"What do you mean speed them up?" she asked, leaning forward on the counter. "Does this mean they don't suffer?"

"It just means we're going to have to do a bit more a bit faster, dearie," he replied, looking up smirking. "They're still going to suffer."

Emma returned his smirk. "What's changed that's caused us to speed up though?"

"They've brought in…reinforcements. Nothing we can't handle, but I'd rather be rid of them sooner rather than later." He continued sifting through his vials, pulling out the essential ones he would need to. "We'll take a few of them out first. The Prince will be the easiest. He's always putting himself in between his family and any harm that may befall them."

"So we're just going to kill him?"

He looked at her, confused. "That is the point of what we're doing here."

"No, I mean just because we have to hurry this up doesn't mean we can't still make them squirm." She stopped, but he waited for her to continue. "I've been watching them, and sure, killing the Prince would be easy. And it would devastate them. But why not hit them where it really hurts?"

"And where does it really hurt?"

"The little boy, of course. Their whole life revolves around the little pipsqueak!"

Gold looked at her, intrigued by her idea. "And what do you suggest we do with the boy?"

Her smirk grew. "We take him. Make them miserable by making him miserable. We torture him for as long as possible until he can't take it any longer. And then, we end him…right in front of them."

Gold's eyes beamed with pride. "I've trained you well."

Emma was just about to respond when the ground shook beneath them, and a crack formed in the floor. The two watched as the crack slowly spread from the floor up the side of the wall, stopping at the roof, sending a piece of the ceiling down to the floor. Her heart was still racing from the jolt of the ground, but once it died down, she turned her attention back to Gold.

"What the hell was that?"

"That, dearie, is exactly why we need to speed things along." He walked over to inspect the damage, heat and a dim light coming from the cracks. "There are too many of the same people in one reality. And this Storybrooke can't hold all of you, so it's being torn apart at the seams," he said as he continued to observe the crack.

"You don't sound worried," she said, standing beside him.

"Whether we exact our revenge in time is really irrelevant. Either way, that family will die an excruciating death, torn apart piece by piece, event by event. Their life will slowly cease to exist as this place is destroyed."

"But…" She paused, letting his words sink in. "If this place is ripped apart, the same thing will happen to us."

"Your point? This path we're on, you have to be willing to die if the time comes. To lay your life on the line to exact your revenge. That's the only way this works. You have to know there's a chance you'll die same as they do, but there's also a chance you'll live. Either way, they die, and we emerge victorious in the grand scheme of it all."

He didn't wait for her to respond before he was walking toward the door. "Wait." He paused, not turning to look at her. "Where are you going now?" She didn't want him to leave and take the magic he'd brought to her with him.

"I'm going to make preparation for the plan you concocted."

"Then, quit leaving me out of everything," Emma said, crossing her arms. "If you want me to help you with this, I'm coming with you, and that's that."

He let out a small chuckle. "Such passion." He turned on his heel and walked out the door, calling over his shoulder. "Come along, dearie!"

* * *

Hook looked down at the woman sleeping in his arms. Since she'd gotten back with the other family, he'd taken to sleeping in the loft. She didn't have to say it, but it eased her mind somewhat to know that he was safe with her. But even in sleep, he could see the worry etched on her face, and he wished he could take it all away from her. Her life had already been plagued with so much. He knew she didn't need more grief and sorrow.

She let out a sigh and turned away from him a bit. Sleep wasn't coming to him anytime soon, so he placed a kiss to Emma's temple and sat up. He started to make his way to the bathroom when he heard a clatter. He immediately reached for his hook on the bedside table, clicking it into place. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself get used to the weight. It had been months since he'd warn the hook, and he'd been so used to not having to worry about it.

He made his way out of Emma's room and quietly down the hall, trying to keep the intruder in the house ignorant to his presence. He reached the end of the hallway and stood, listening, continuing to hear rummaging coming from the kitchen. He took a quiet breath, readying himself for an attack.

"Captain, are you going to stand there all night or are you gonna help?"

The small voice surprised him, but he recognized it immediately. He unlatched his hook as he rounded the corner, setting it on the counter, spotting the blonde curls peeking out from behind the refrigerator door. Once he'd come a bit closer, Serena pulled her head completely into view.

"What are you doing up, lass? It's very late."

"Daddy was snoring, and I couldn't sleep. And if I couldn't sleep, I was going to stay up and keep watch until Mo-… until Emma could keep us safe from the bad man." Her head disappeared behind the door again. "You guys don't have juice, and that keeps me awake."

She was surprised when a pair of arms scooped her up from the ground, the door closed when a foot made contact with it. "How about you sleep in the bed with Emma and me? Neither of us snores." She looked at him skeptically, and his face softened. "Are you worried something is going to happen?" When she nodded a bit timidly, he reached up and squeezed her arm. "Well, Emma and I won't let anything happen to you. So what do you say? I think Emma and I can make room for you."

Serena tried to stifle it, but a yawn escaped her. "Sounds good, Captain." She laid her head on his shoulder as he walked back toward Emma's room, grabbing his hook along the way.

He could see her eyes starting to droop as he made his way back to the bed, nudging Emma awake once he'd reached it. She groggily opened her eyes, shocked at the scene before her.

"The little lass couldn't sleep. I offered her our protection."

Emma smiled up at him, scooting over to make room. "Well, come on, sweetie. We'll keep you safe."

Hook sat Serena on the bed, and she crawled under the blankets, curling up next to Emma as Hook laid down on the other side of her. Emma wrapped an arm around her, closing her eyes and drifting back off with ease. Hook couldn't help but watch the two for a few moments, a pang of loss entering his heart. He hadn't even realized he wanted this until the possibility of it being taken away before he had it occurred. His gaze fell on Emma's face and the worry he'd seen earlier was gone. He'd be damned if he let this slip away from them. He closed his eyes, putting a protective arm over the two girls as sleep finally claimed him.


	11. Part 10

Emma stood at the door of the loft with her cup of hot chocolate, absentmindedly playing with the protection spell she'd cast over the place. She had done this every night for the past two weeks, checking every window, every door, every possible entrance just to make sure the protection spell was secure and no one could get in. She'd learned how to do her magic from Gold himself, so she was sure he could get through them if he really wanted to, but it gave Killian and Serena a peace of mind she knew they'd need.

A pair of arms snaked around her midsection and she leaned into the familiar warmth of the man she loved. "I've never been this afraid before," she said.

"You've done everything you can for now, love. It's a waiting game now," he replied, placing a kiss to her temple. "We'll be prepared. I have faith in you."

Emma scoffed, raising her cup to her lips. "That makes one of us."

"Hey!" He turned her around, placing his hand on her shoulder and using his hook to lift her chin to look at him. "You are bloody Emma Swan. You are brilliant, amazing, and you are made of magic. I know that scares you, especially after what happened at the Crocodile's shop, but you know she's alive. You know you can keep your emotions in check. Lass, you've fought tooth and nail for your family before and won. You'll do it again." She'd averted her eyes, and he brought his hand to her face, leaning in to steal a kiss. "Hey. We will win this fight, love. We make quite the team, right?"

Emma let out a small laugh. "Yeah. We do."

"Then, stop worrying. It'll only make it worse when something actually _does_ happen. But you have your whole family behind you, and I'm here for you, as well." He pulled her in, letting everything he said soak in, letting her know that he would be her anchor when she needed it.

She nuzzled into his chest a bit, reveling in the feel of his warmth. "You know you're part of this family, too, right?" She looked up at him, placing her chin on his chest. "You belong with us no matter what."

Hook felt his heart flutter at her words. He'd always wanted a family to call his own, someone to love and love him in return, and he knew he had that with Emma. And with her return, her parents and Henry had brought him in, accepting him more than he thought he deserved. And it had been enough. And then Serena had come through the portal with Emma and his counterpart and all of that changed.

He turned his head a bit to look at the little girl sitting on the couch with Henry. He already felt he had a son in Henry, even without the bond being through blood, but he stared at the girl, and seeing what he and Emma could possibly create made his heart clench. He'd been a disaster for 300 years, and part of him couldn't believe that he was capable of making something so beautiful and innocent. He felt that he didn't deserve her, but every time his eyes fell on her, he couldn't help imagining holding her as a baby, watching her take her first steps, taking her to school, and doing everything she asked, because he knew he'd be wrapped around her finger. He already loved her more than he should, and she wasn't even truly his.

Hook was so enthralled by the little girl that he hadn't realized Emma had stepped away from him. "All right, you two. Time for bed."

Henry groaned. "Mom, come on. I was just getting to the good part of Grams and Gramps's story! He just woke her from the sleeping curse."

"You can finish the story tomorrow."

"But Mom-"

"I'll put you under a sleeping curse if that's what it takes." She leaned down and took the book from his lap and placed it on coffee table. "Go brush your teeth."

Henry sighed, standing up and holding out his hand. "Come on, Serena." Her little hand fit into his and he led her down the hall, the bathroom door closing behind them.

Emma had watched them until they disappeared behind the door, her heart going out for Henry. He already loved Serena so much, and she knew that he'd be a wonderful big brother. She could say she hadn't thought about expanding her little family, but with the way things were at the moment, she was going to put that conversation with Hook on hold. No matter how much her heart clenched every time Serena smiled at her like she hung the moon.

* * *

Emma was sound asleep, snuggled close to Hook's chest when a resounding boom sounded through the apartment and rattled the windows. She shot up in bed, Hook doing the same, scrambling out of the bed in a panic. She vaguely heard his hook click into place as she closed her eyes, concentrating on the spells she'd cast around the loft.

She opened her eyes suddenly, confused. "The spells haven't been broken through."

Hook stopped in his tracks. "Then what the bloody hell was…" He stopped midsentence, his eyes focusing on the window behind Emma. "No…" He was suddenly running out of the room and down the hall.

Emma was confused before looking to the window and seeing a plume of smoke coming from the distance. She stood there, dumbfounded for a moment before she realized the smoke was coming from the general area of the docks. Slipping into her shoes, she bolted down the hallway after him.

"What's happening?" David asked, holding Snow close to him.

"Keep everyone safe!" she yelled with no explanation as she ran after Hook, feeling the protection spell move around her as she left.

She could see him a few yards ahead of her, willing her legs to move faster as they both raced down the street. Hook left her line of sight as he turned the corner, and she used whatever burst of adrenaline she had to speed up. She rounded the corner not long after he did, and the sight she was met with made her heart sink. They'd reached the docks, and the Jolly Roger was going up in flames.

Hook had sunk to his knees, staring at the wreckage of his beloved ship. It had been his home since before he'd reached full adulthood, going with him on many dangerous adventures, keeping him safe, and he'd left her unprotected. There was no saving her. The hull was busted out in the middle, leaving it caving in. The mast cracked under the heat of the flames, sending it crashing over the side and into the water. Hook wanted to look away, to ease the sorrow in his heart by pretending it wasn't there, but his eyes were glued to the scene before him, hand shaking as he wiped his face of the sweat from running there.

Emma slowly walked over to him, sinking down onto the ground next to him and bringing an arm around his shoulder, pulling him toward her as much as he would allow. Her heart clenched for him, losing the last connection he had with the sea. His love for his ship almost matched the love he had for her, so she knew how hurt he must've been in the moment. So, she held him onto him, letting him know that it would be okay, even though she knew they'd never be able to replace his ship. She knew Henry would be devastated, too. The ship had been their bonding place.

_Henry!_ "Killian, we have to get back to the loft!" Emma stood up quickly, pulling Hook to his feet as well, before breaking into a run in the direction they'd come from. She heard heavy footfalls behind her, glad he was out of his trance now.

"Love, what is it?"

"It was a distraction!" Her heart was pounding against her rib cage as she ran faster than she thought possible. She was stupid to not have thought it before, but her mind was on her love and not letting him be out in the open alone.

When they reached the loft, the front door was open, and Emma couldn't remember if she'd left it open in the haste to follow Hook or not. As they approached the door, Emma slowed down, gathering herself and her emotions should the need to use her magic arise. She took a deep long breath before pushing the door the rest of the way open and stepping over the threshold, the feel of the protection spell no longer around her.

The place was a mess, like someone had rummaged through everything they owned. Snow was on the ground, while David was sprawled on the metal stairs, and Emma ran instantly to her mother, while Hook checked on David.

"Mom!" Emma shouted, shaking Snow a bit. She reached down to feel her mother's neck and was relieved to feel the thump under her fingers.

"David's alright," Hook said from behind her. "He's bumped his head, but his breathing is steady."

Emma looked back, seeing Hook drape David's arm over his shoulder, performing the daunting task of pulling him over to the couch in the living room. Her attention was drawn back to Snow when she heard a groan coming from her.

"Mom, you're okay," Emma said, hugging her, a watery smile coming to her face. "What happened?"

Snow grabbed her head, the pain in it throbbing uncontrollably. "Not long after you left, the protection spell started making this weird noise. And then Gold was in here. He threw Killian behind the sofa."

"I'm fine, by the way," Killian called as he lifted himself from the floor, rubbing the back of his neck.

Relief flooded through Emma even more, not sure if she could deal with his blood on her hands. She turned back to Snow. "And then what happened?"

"Well, I ran after Charming. He started to run upstairs to keep Henry and Serena safe, and Gold threw was around like ragdolls."

"Serena!" Killian yelled, as he ran past Emma and Snow, going up the metal stairs. "Serena!"

"Daddy!"

Emma heard Serena from above, and her heart dropped. If Henry was okay, he would've called to them by now. She took the stairs two at a time, barely taking in the sight of Killian holding Serena tightly as she looked around the room. Henry wasn't there. "Where's Henry?"

"I'm sorry. The bad man came and made Daddy fly. Henry was trying to protect me when he got taken."

Henry was gone again, and her heart felt like it was going to shatter, but she had to keep it together for the moment. Emma reached over and ran her hand over Serena's hair. "Sweetie, it is not your fault." Her voice started to break, so she took a deep breath. "We'll get him back."

* * *

Emma sat on the edge of her bed, Hook right behind her, his arms wrapped securely around her. She was doing her best to hold back the tears, but a few had already slipped out, falling onto their joined hands. Henry was gone. She'd been foolish enough to leave him alone with only her puny protection spell that Gold so easily got rid of and her heart ached. She felt Hook press a kiss to her neck and decided she needed to escape her mind for just a few minutes. Just until the adrenaline wore off, so she could crash and properly plan to get her son back.

"Are you okay?" she asked, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb.

"Am I okay? Are you okay? That's the more important question," he replied, concern lacing his voice."

"You just lost your ship—your home. I just want to make sure you're alright."

He pulled her tighter against his chest. "You're my home, Emma. You just had your son taken from you."

"He's practically yours, too, ya know? He loves you like a father." Her voice had started to break again, and she brought a hand to her face, trying to will the emotions to stop.

Hook turned her in his lap and pulled her face to his chest, stroking her back, letting her know he was there. "Let it out, love. It's alright." When he felt his shirt begin to grow wet, he pulled his arms tighter around her. "We _will_ get him back. Not to worry, darling." He continued his comforting strokes, placing a kiss to her hair. "We won't rest until he's safe in your arms again."

He laid them down on the bed, holding her close to him. She placed her head over his heart, letting the rhythm calm her, letting the sure sign of life from him be her rock to hold onto for the night. His embrace was all she had for the night, and his embrace told her she could take that last wall down, so, she cried. She cried over the potential loss of her son, and how she could possibly live with herself if anything happened to him. Hook's encouraging whispers were the only slight reprieve from those thoughts, his love for her pulling her from that dark pit of despair until she was completely exhausted. When she finally had nothing left, she let sleep claim her, Henry's face being the only thing she could see.


	12. Part 11

Emma opened cabinet after cabinet, looking for something small to work with. She saw plates and large vases but thought those would be too big to start with. At first it had started as a way to pass the time, when she'd moved the small teaspoon across the counter, but now she was determined to keep going with bigger things. She finally came across a set of small cups, grabbing one and setting it on the counter. She concentrated on it for a second, memorizing it, and then closed her eyes and willed it to move. She stood there for a few minutes before opening her eyes to see that it was still in the same spot.

Her eyes closed again, concentrating all her magic on the cup on the counter in front of her. Holding her hand out in front of her, she willed the cup to something, anything. She didn't care if it turned into a rat. She just wanted it to do something. Hoping that it would make her abilities better, she knew practicing would help better in the long run with the battle she knew was to come. She hadn't had the chance to practice her abilities as of late, but it was better late than never.

The cup rattled slightly over the surface of the wood before stopping completely, and Emma let out a frustrated groan. She picked up the cup and didn't even think before she threw it against the wall, buzzing by Henry's head, making him jump slightly. The shatter of the glass against the wall made him jump again, the duct tape keeping him from moving too much. Her anger subsided for a split second, letting out a small laugh at the boy for being scared of a cup, before grabbing a small saucer, setting it on the counter, and trying to make it fly in the direction of Henry.

When, once again, all she could get it to do was rattle, she slammed her hand down on the counter, cursing her lack of abilities without Gold around.

"You know it's never going to work right, right?" Henry's voice came from across the room.

Emma felt her lip twitch in frustration as she glared at the little boy. "And what the hell would you know about it?"

"Well, I've been around magic longer than you have," Henry replied, feeling brave, sending Emma a smirk. "I think I know a thing or two about it."

Annoyed by his tone, Emma stalked over to the chair, digging her fingernails into his arms as she leaned down to his face. "Alright, little man, why won't my magic work right?"

Henry did his best not to let the pain in his arms show in his face, keeping that same smirk. "You're not naturally magical. You come from a place with no magic, so what little magic you do have is being so forced out that all you can do is rattle a tiny little cup."

She could stop her hand as it came to his throat, giving it a menacing squeeze. "I don't think you're in a position to be talking to me like that, kid." When he gave her a small nod, she removed her hand, but didn't move to back away. He seemed to know what he was talking about, and Emma was tired of feeling weak and useless. "So, why does my magic work better when Gold is here?"

Henry shrugged. "He's the Dark One, the most powerful sorcerer out there. He kinda bleeds magic, ya know. And he taught you magic in a realm with magic in it. So maybe you guys are connected that way."

"And what makes him so powerful, hmm?"

"It's the power of the Dark One. It's the most powerful force out there, besides True Love. I don't know where it came from, though. My book doesn't go back that far."

Emma stared at him, confused before it hit her. "Oh so you're the kid with the story book. He's talked about it before, but not said too much about it." She eyed the boy curiously. "If you don't know where the power came from, how did Gold get it? Was it just magically bestowed upon him one day for the hell of it?"

"No, he took it with the dagger from the last Dark One when he stabbed him," Henry rambled out without thinking. No one had ever really been too interested in his book before, and the information just came out. His eyes widened as the realization of what he'd just said to her hit him. "No. Emma, no don't think about it."

A smile grew on her face at his words. "Don't even think about it?" She walked over to the counter and grabbed the duct tape they'd used to hold him down to the chair. She quickly pulled off a piece, ripping it from the roll with her teeth before walking back over and placing it over his mouth. "Too late."

She could still hear his muffled protests as she walked behind the counter where the register stood and stared at the picture she knew concealed the safe Gold had. She pulled the picture back and raised her hand to the tumbler before dropping her hand to her side, staring at the silver knob. She hesitantly raised her hand again before letting it fall once more. Having seen him open it enough times, she was familiar with the contents. She knew how to get in, and she could easily take the dagger she knew was inside. It would mean losing her only ally if she did, but it would also mean that she would have all that power coursing through her and it would never leave her.

She finally reached up one last time, turning the tumbler until she heard a click, and then turned the knob and opened the safe door. There it sat, next to a cup missing a piece at the top and an old shawl, just as it always did. Her fingertips ran over the steel of the dagger, grasping the handle once she reached it. She pulled it out, letting the weight of it settle in her palm as she examined it. She clearly read 'Rumplestiltskin' across the blade and wondered what it meant, but continued letting herself get used to the weight.

She imagined having all of Gold's power to herself and all the damage she could do with it. With all that power, she could bring that family down once and for all in the blink of an eye, and Gold had said they were running out of time. It would be the easiest thing in the world.

Henry's mumbles pulled her from her thoughts, and she looked over at him. His eyes were pleading with her, his head shaking. Emma couldn't understand why he cared so much about what she did, but that look in his eyes hit her hard. She placed the dagger back in the safe, slamming the door shut, and replaced the picture before going into the back room of the shop, leaving a confused Henry behind.

* * *

Gold walked into his shop, his eyes immediately going to Henry slumped forward in his chair with tape over his mouth. Confused, his eyes wandered to Emma, who was leaning over the counter a bit, a smug smile on her face.

"What did you do to him?" Gold asked, genuinely curious.

"The kid would not shut up, so I tried the tape. But he still kept trying to talk over it, so I gave him a little something to put him out for a while. I'll tell you, the brat has a mouth on him." She walked around the counter, leaning back against it, her arms folded slightly over her chest. "How are they after their loss?"

"Hook isn't as devastated as we'd hoped, but I'm sure it's just an act for his beloved. Emma is completely broken down," he said, smirking walking forward. "Good call on taking the boy. I won't be surprised to see how desperate she gets to get him back. She'd probably barge in here if she knew it was still standing."

Emma shrugged, pushing herself off the counter and closing the distance between them. "Probably. She seems like the rash kind, the kind that live by 'desperate times call for desperate measures.' She's pathetic if she lets the loss of this little runt get to her," she said. She tilted her at Gold giving him a once over.

Gold gave her a look. "What is it, dearie?"

"You know what, I think you're right. I think we've been going too slow," she said, looking over her shoulder at Henry, as Gold started to move past her. "I think it's time to start making the big moves." She let the dagger slide out of her shirt sleeve.

"And what big move to you-" Gold's sentence was cut off as he felt a pain go through his back. He looked back at her unable to see what she had in her hand, but in his gut he knew what it was. "What have you done?"

"I did what needed to be done," she said as he crumpled to the floor. She crouched down next to him, holding his bloody dagger up, inspecting it. "Did you know every time you're not in my presence, my magic dwindles to almost nothing?"

"What?" he asked with labored breathing.

She continued on. "I couldn't even move a simple cup today while you were out. And you told me…" She looked down at him, a look of pure evil on her face. "You told me power is everything. So I made sure that I had it all." She leaned in close. "I made the big move."

Gold let out a laugh that surprised her. "Good girl. I taught you well." He coughed as his breath came in spurts. "But remember, dearie. All magic comes with a price…" He trailed off, and his breathing stopped, leaving him sprawled in the floor, blood oozing from his wound.

Emma stood and felt the power was over her. The feel of the magic coursing through her started in her head and slowly made its way down. Her finger tips tingled with the sparks of it and her veins pumped it through her. She opened her eyes and looked down at the dagger, now seeing 'Emma Swan' plastered across the steel, and she smiled. Her eyes went to the mirror on the wall next to her, and she noted the cracked skin and the paler complexion, but if that was the price she had to pay for feeling like this, she was very willing to pay it.

She stepped over Gold's body, moving over to the chair Henry was still in. She yanked him up by his hair, his eyes opening instantly and widening at the sight of the new Emma. "Time to start my work, little man."


	13. Part 12

Emma sat on the couch, staring at Henry's book, picturing the last real thing she'd said to him, talking of sleeping curses when all he wanted to do was share his book with Serena—with his sister. She rubbed her eyes as she flipped another page in the book, looking for an answer. There had been a time when she would have looked at the book with scrutiny and disbelief, and there she was, clinging to it like it was a lifeline. The tears hit the pages before she felt them leave her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away, unwilling to be seen like this outside the comfort of her bedroom and Hook's arms. Only he was allowed to see how broken Henry's abduction had made her.

It had been seven days since Henry had been taken, and every day they had gone through the same routine. They would all alternate going out looking for Henry, for the place Gold and Emma were using as a hideout, no one allowed to go alone, but every night, they'd come back worn, but not discouraged. All but Emma. She'd keep the brave face on, reading Henry's book as much as she could, before Hook would scoop her up in his arms and carry her to her room. As soon as they stepped over the threshold, her resolve would already begin to break, and by the time Hook had her ready for bed, the first tears would fall. He would pull her close and let her cry into his chest until the tears dried up and her breathing evened out. Hook would whisper encouraging words, hoping to get through to her, but he knew his embrace helped more than the words. Emma was a woman of actions over words, but the words reassured him, as well.

Emma looked up when she saw an arm come into view and set a mug of hot cocoa on the table. She followed the leather clad arm up to Hook's soft smiling face.

"I thought this might help you relax," he said, moving his hand away from it.

Emma scrunched up her nose, looking at the mug. "How much cinnamon did you put on there?"

"I don't know… The normal amount you liked, I thought," he replied, confused.

"Well I can already tell there's /way/ too much in there. I can smell it from here." She looked back up to see him looking at her a bit sadly. "I'm sorry." Her hand reached out to squeeze his before taking the mug. "Thank you for the gesture," she added, taking a sip, trying not to show how strong the taste was to her.

"You know we'll get him back, right?" Hook said, taking a seat next to her. "Henry will be safe in your arms soon."

"How can you know that?"

Hook waved his hand like it was the most obvious thing. "Something about always finding each other. I'm sure you're aware that it's the family motto," he said, smirking at her trying to lighten the mood. "He found you once. You'll return the favor." Her face dropped, and he put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in.

"I wish I had your confidence in this situation," she said wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Well, luckily I have enough for the both of us," he said, squeezing her shoulder.

Emma snuggled into his side, leaning into his embrace and taking the comfort that it offered. It was the only place she'd felt safe since Gold had returned. It made her wonder why she'd avoided this with him for so long in the first place. He fit so well into their lives, not matter what universe it seemed they were in. He kissed her temple as he heard little feet padding into the room. Serena appeared by the arm of the chair, resting her chin against it as she leaned down, smiling from ear to ear. Killian followed behind her not long after, scooping her up and looking at her expectantly. "Well… Aren't you going to ask?"

Serena looked back at Emma from her father's arms. "Emma, will you tuck me in tonight?" Serena asked, a slight puppy look in her eyes.

Emma felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, but she swallowed thickly and held them back. Even if Serena hadn't given her that look, Emma felt she wasn't in the position to deny her anything. A soft smile formed on her lips as she gave Hook's middle a squeeze before standing up. "Sure, sweetie. Come on."

Killian transferred Serena to Emma's arms, and she took her up the stairs to sleep in Henry's bed where she'd been sleeping since she'd arrived. Henry had been nice enough to share with her, offering to keep her safe at night, and now that he was gone, someone always stayed with her until she fell asleep. Once they reached the top of the stairs, Emma pulled back the blankets and laid Serena down, replacing the blankets and rubbing her arms.

"There all tucked in for bed," Emma said, taking a seat next to her on the bed. "Do you want me to just sit here?"

"Can I have a story? A happy one?"

Emma looked down at Serena, giving her a sad smile. Without Henry, she was having a hard time thinking of anything happy lately. "What story did you have in mind?"

"Is your story with the Captain a happy one? Daddy told me about his story with Mommy once. Can I hear yours?" Serena asked gleefully.

Emma looked on dumbfounded. "Uhm… Well I mean it doesn't get _happy_ until much later in the story, but it's definitely a crazy one. Do you still want to hear it?" When Serena nodded furiously, Emma sighed, chuckling a bit. "Okay. Well it started when I fell through a portal to this place called the Enchanted Forest." Emma regaled the tale of how she and her mother traveled through the realm with Mulan and Aurora, losing the wardrobe ashes, and getting back to the camp to find a blacksmith among the rubble. The blacksmith hadn't been who he said he was, and that's when they went on their beanstalk adventure to get a compass. "So he gave me his little wrist cuff thing, and we climbed it."

"How long did it take to climb?"

"A few hours. It felt like days, though. It was really tall and Hook would not shut up," Emma said, rolling her eyes for good measure. "He was asking me so many questions, and I could not get him to stop talking."

Serena let out a giggle. "Daddy does that sometimes. Mommy will usually just kiss him to get him to stop."

Emma looked over her shoulder to make sure Hook wasn't there. She listened for a few moments, and when she heard him talking with Killian downstairs, a small smile planted on her face. "To tell you the truth, I thought about it. And that scared me."

"How come?"

"Well, I'd only known him for less than a day, and he got under my skin as quickly as Henry had, and I'd caught him in a lie about being a blacksmith, and it was way too early to be feeling what I'd felt," Emma shrugged. She and Hook had talked about it enough. The past was behind them now, and they had a future, and that's what mattered.

"Daddy said he knew really soon after they met that he'd marry Mommy."

Emma smiled at the memory of hearing Killian tell the story to Serena. The simplicity and happiness of their story had made her heart flutter at the time, now only making her sad that this family had been separated by a vengeful old sorcerer. She tried not to let the despair show in her face as she continued her story. "I think I knew something was there during the beanstalk adventure, but I wasn't ready for that. At least not then."

"When did you guys finally get together?" Serena asked, a huge smile on her face.

"Well, officially, it wasn't until I left your family. We had a few moments in Neverland when we went to save Henry, and a few here after, but we never really defined what we were. But after I got back… I realized I couldn't be without him anymore."

"How sweet," an eerie voice echoed through the house.

Emma immediately grabbed Serena as she heard footsteps bolting up the stairs. She saw Killian and Hook appear in the doorway followed closely by her parents. They all waited, looking around to see what could possibly be happening, but nothing in the house was out of the ordinary.

"I have Henry," came the voice again. Emma knew it was her counterpart's voice, but she didn't know how she was doing it. "And if you want him back, you'll have to do something for me."

"How are you doing this?" Emma asked to the air, waiting for her voice to come back.

A loud laugh could be heard through the house. "I got a bit of extra power from a mutual friend. Gold is no longer an issue. You just have me to deal with, and I said I'd need you to do something for me."

"What is it that you want?" Hook asked.

"I wasn't talking to you, pirate!" The voice was laced with venom, poison dripping from the air. "You are nothing but bones riddled with flesh that you do not deserve. And if Emma does not do as I say, your blackened heart will beat in my hand for your precious love to see as I rip your family apart piece by piece. And then, when it's all done, I'll have you kill her as I slowly crush your heart into dust." The room was silent for a moment, everyone looking to one another for answers as Emma pulled Serena closer to her. "Emma, if you want to see your son again, you'll meet me outside the clock tower to discuss how this will happen." There was a long pause before a chuckle came through the air again. "Have a good night."

The eeriness in the house left as the voice faded out, and Emma laid Serena on the bed before making her way past the other four in people in the room and down the stairs. She could hear them following her, but she couldn't turn around. Henry needed her, and this was the only thing they'd gotten since he'd disappeared. She started to pull her coat on when she felt the back of it being caught and ripped away from her.

"Hey!" she exclaimed as she grabbed it back from Hook.

Hook's grip held tight as he looked her in the eyes. "Emma, you can't be serious!"

Emma ripped the coat from his grip. "I'm very serious. That's my son out there! You can't just expect me to sit here when I know that I can get him back."

Snow stepped forward putting her hand on Emma's shoulder. "Emma, we'll find another way to get him back, but she could kill you. If Gold's gone… There's only one way to kill him, and we know what that means."

Her arms flew out, and Emma stepped away from everyone toward the door. "I don't care if she's the fucking Dark One now! I can't lose Henry again!"

Hook stepped forward and held her arms, pulling her closer. "And you won't, Emma. We _will_ find another way, but you can't do this. She could kill you in an instant." He brought her face toward his, making her look him in the eye. "Love, you just have to breathe and have faith. That's all I ask. You know I won't let anything happen to him."

"And how do you know that?" she whispered, trying to keep her voice.

"Because I have faith, and I can have enough for the both of us. Just trust me."

Emma searched his face for anything but knew he wasn't lying. She knew if it was up to him, Henry would already be safe in her arms. He'd made sure of it once before, but they hadn't dealt with anything this hard or this powerful before. She knew going up against her counterpart would be dangerous and could possibly end in her death, but if Henry was safe, she didn't know if she cared. She didn't want to leave him alone, but she couldn't leave him with her other self, either. The look in Hook's eyes told her that he would be safe, and she wanted to believe that.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking back at him. "Okay."

He pulled her into a tight hug, thankful that she'd seen reason. He'd only had her for a short time, and he wasn't willing to lose her now. "Come on. We'll all go to bed and figure out what to do in the morning when our heads are clear."

Hook took Emma back to their room, looking over his shoulder to see his counterpart carry Serena back up the stairs. He wanted to laugh a bit at the situation, both the men putting their girls to bed. As they entered the room, he could already feel Emma's shoulders drop, and he wanted nothing more than to lift the burden that weighed them down. He followed the same routine they had for the past week, helping her get ready for bed, and he did the same for himself.

As Emma laid down in the bed, Hook realized he'd left his sword in the living area. He wanted to make sure to be prepared just in case anything happened, and his sword did no good away from him. "Darling, I'll be right back," he said, leaning down and kissing her forehead. "I'll be right back."

He made his way back out into the open space of the apartment, spotting his sword by the door when Killian made his way back down the stairs from where Serena slept.

"Finally get her down?" Hook asked as he grabbed the sword from its spot against the wall.

Killian sighed, making his way to his makeshift bed on the couch. "It took a little bit to calm her down, but I think she's out for the night." Killian shifted the blankets to where he wanted them. "Stubborn like her mother," he muttered. Killian looked over to Hook, noting him staring up at the top of the stairs. "You'll have one of your own someday. I'm sure."

Hook looked back at him, not even ashamed that he'd been caught. "I hope so. All I've ever wanted was a family. And… I love Henry as if he were my own already, and… Ever since you three came back here, and…" Hook broke off, not sure if it was inappropriate to be talking about the man's daughter, but hoping he would understand. "When I saw her and saw what Emma and I could bring into the world… I had never wanted something more in my life."

Killian clapped Hook on the shoulder, a reassuring smile appearing on his face. "You'll get your family back, and I'll get my Emma back. I'm sure of it."

Hook gave him a weak smile back as Killian moved over to the couch again, and Hook began his walk back to the bedroom. He didn't know who would be the one to tell Killian that the only way to rid the Dark One of their magic was to stab them with the dagger, and he was sure Killian wouldn't want to pay that price.

As soon as he entered the bedroom again, something was off. He noted the window was open that he knew wasn't before. The lumpiness of the blanket gave it away, and he would've thought she'd be smarter than that. He ripped back the blankets and the pillows were lined up to make it look like someone was laying there. He hit the pillow before running to the window trying to see if he could spot her but she was nowhere in sight.

"Damn it, Emma!" he said as he left the room.


	14. Part 13

Seconds felt like hours, and minutes felt like days. The loud ticking of the clock above her gave the dark streets an even more ominous feel to them. Emma sat on the bench next to the library, the clock tower above it looming over her like Death's shadow. She could see her breath billowing out in front of her, the cold of the night seeping into her lungs. Waiting for her counterpart to arrive was pressing a weight harder and harder on her shoulders, a weight that would make her collapse against the bench any second. The longer she sat there, the more she felt the need to empty the contents of her stomach.

"Rough night?"

The eerily familiar voice came floating from behind her, and Emma wasted no time standing to her feet. The figure stepped out of the shadow of the clock tower, broken skin and shining eyes catching the moonlight just right. Emma almost cringed at the sight of what she was seeing, wondering how in the world it had transpired.

"What happened to you?" Emma asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

That same eerie laugh from the house spilled from the other woman's lips. "I told you. Gold is no longer an issue." She took a few steps, turning in a circle as she did. "I am the new Dark One."

Emma's eyes widened at the confirmation. She knew the only way for there to be a new Dark One was to… _Gold is dead._ Clenching her hands over and over, Emma did her best to keep her cool. "Where's Henry?"

The new Dark One pulled out the dagger, examining it as if she'd never heard a word Emma said. "Emma Jones… That's your pirate's last name, is it not? How curious."

"Where is Henry?" Emma repeated, unwilling to play games.

The woman continued talking, ignoring Emma easily. "But your name here is 'Swan.' So does that mean you haven't managed to tie him down yet?"

Emma's temper flared. "If you don't tell me where Henry is so help me I'll-"

"You'll what, Emma? Are you going to do a little magic trick for me?" She asked, pointing the dagger at her, looking her up and down like she was nothing. "_I_ have Henry, and I am in control. Have you noticed anything strange happening?"

Emma narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Aside from Gold meddling in our lives? Of course, that's not that strange, really."

"Have you noticed random tremors happening? Cracks in the walls?"

Emma searched her memory, thinking back over the last few weeks that everything had been happening. The lightning strike that had alerted her that something was happening was the only big thing that stuck out in her mind. Then it hit her. The small little shake in the shower she'd dismissed as the water heater acting up. She hadn't noticed any cracks though. "What are you talking about?"

The other woman walked over to the library, her fingers tracing a crack in one of the walls. An evil smirk curled on her the corners of her lips. "This universe is falling apart. Too many of the same people are in one universe, and well, it can't have that," she said, giving Emma another once over.

_Falling apart._ Emma's head swarmed with the idea of something happening to her family because of this. "So why take Henry? He's the only one here."

The woman's smirk grew making Emma's skin crawl. "To give you incentive. I have no intention of dying in a crumbling universe. I love this newfound power too much. So, I propose a deal."

"Now you're starting to sound like Gold," Emma quipped, crossing her arms over her chest.

"If you want the chance to get Henry back, you'll shut up and listen." The Dark One slid the dagger into her boot, walking over until she stood toe to toe with Emma. "I could kill you right now. With a snap of my fingers, you could be an ant for me to squish. But I like challenges, so this is what we're going to do. You have until evening to decide if you're going to fight for your life and your family's lives. If you decide not to fight, I'll kill you all. But if you do, you actually might have a tiny chance." Emma started to raise her hand to punch her counterpart, when it was encased in blue magic. "Nope. Not now. You go talk to your little family. And then if you don't show up tomorrow at sunset, I'll know you all chose it."

"Emma!" Hook's voice came from down the street.

The other woman looked over Emma's shoulder. "Oh! Look at that. Your pirate's coming to rescue you." She flicked her wrist, sending him up against a building. "Better go get him," she said, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Emma's hand immediately dropped to her waist, and she bolted down the street, making it to Hook's side in seconds. "I had that handled," she said, helping him off the ground where he'd fallen.

"Like hell you did," he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. Looking over her for wounds, she could see the tension melt away when he found her unharmed. "Emma, what the hell were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking about my son!" Emma yelled, emotion leaking into her voice.

"I care about that boy as if he were my own, but running off to do something rash could get him killed!" As hard as he tried, he couldn't stop the scared tone creeping into his voice as he pulled her to him. "You could've been killed."

"Not today, pirate," she mumbled into his chest, holding him tight. "We need to get back to the apartment. There's something we all need to talk about."

They made it back to the apartment as quickly as possible. When she pushed the door open, she was immediately wrapped in a hug by Snow.

"Emma Swan, don't you dare do something so foolish again!" Her mother's hands came to her face, looking her over much like Hook had.

"She's alright, Snow," Hook assured her, bringing his arm around Emma.

Emma took a shuddering breath before stepping out of his embrace, looking around the apartment. She moved things from shelves, all the while everyone staring at her like she was mad. Her heart pounded faster as she moved a stack of plates, finding a very large crack she knew wasn't there before. "She was right," Emma mumbled.

"Right about what?" Hook's voice came from behind her, looking at the crack as well. "What does that mean?"

"She said that this universe was ripping apart because there were too many of the same people in it," Emma said, looking back and forth between the two Killian's.

"So if we stay here," Killian said, running his hand over his face, "we risk us all dying?"

Emma nodded, taking a seat at the table, Snow's hand immediately grabbing hers. She felt so helpless, having promised Killian she'd get his wife back without being sure if she could follow through with it. "I'm going to do my best to get her back, but… But she's pretty far gone. I have to send you back."

"No!" Killian shook his head, rising to his feet instantly. "If there's a chance I can have my wife back, I'm not going anywhere."

"But if you don't leave-" Snow started before Killian held his hand up.

"Damn the universe," he said with conviction. He turned away from here to Emma. "I'm sorry, Emma, but I promised I'd stick by her for better or for worse, and this is about as worse as it gets."

Emma stared at him for a moment, a slight admiration in her gaze. This man loved his wife so much that he was willing to face certain death for her, and she'd never thought he was more like her pirate until that moment. She understood completely, though. If it meant saving her family, she wouldn't leave, either.

"So what's the plan?" David asked.

Emma sighed then, knowing they wouldn't like this part any more than they liked the previous part. "She wants me to fight. I have until sundown tomorrow to decide." She couldn't tell them that if she lost, they all died. It hurt to even think about.

Hook let out a groan, his hand rubbing his jaw before moving over to where she was seated, crouching to look up at her. "And I know there's no use in trying to talk you out of it, because you'll still go."

"I have to," she said, bringing her hand to his cheek, ignoring everyone else in the room. "You said so yourself that I was good magic. I can do this. If I try hard enough, I can do this."

"Then, I guess that settles it," David said, his hands coming to Snow's shoulders. "Everyone, get some sleep. We're going to need it.

* * *

Emma laid on her back, eyes open as she heard rustling around in the bathroom. Left alone with her thoughts was not a place she wanted to be, and she hoped Hook came to bed soon. Her wish was granted when she heard the clunk of the contraption that held his hook hit the floor. The bed dipped next to her, and she soon felt an arm snake around her waist. Rolling toward him, she placed a kiss on his lips, running her fingers through his hair. It could possibly be the last night they spent together, and she was going to cherish it.

"If it comes down to it, Emma," Hook started, his thumb rubbing circles on her skin. "If it comes down to you live or she lives, please pick you. Please, be selfish this once." His voice was a whisper against her face, full of emotion.

"I can't leave her Henry and Serena motherless," she said, surprising herself by sniffing. "But I can't leave my Henry that way, either. I can't leave the family I just got." She looked up into eyes, searching. "Do you think I can save her?"

"I think if anyone can do it, it's you, love," Hook said, trying his best to reassure her. The other Emma was now the Dark One, and he'd spent 300 years figuring out a way to kill the last one. "Don't worry about it now." He pulled her to his chest, his hand now stroking her hair. "Worry about it when it gets here."

Emma sighed, snuggling into his chest. "I love you," she said. "I hope you know that."

"Don't say it like you're saying goodbye, darling," he replied. "But I love you, too."

It took Emma hours to finally get to sleep, waking up every few hours at the slightest noise. She didn't expect her counterpart to go back on their deal, but even then, she was so scared of losing everyone. Most of the time she just stared at Hook's sleeping form, wondering how he could possibly sleep at a time like this. She brushed some of the hair from his brow, smiling a little when he scrunched his nose at the hair that fell back. This would be her strength for the fight. She would remember this image of her pirate sleeping soundly in her arms, hopefully dreaming of the life they would have if they made it through this.


End file.
